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The Great Sadness of Zohara

Menkes’ first significant film announces the arrival of a precocious cinematic voice.

Documentary 1983 40 mins Not rated

Director: Nina Menkes

CC

Overview

Menkes’ cinematic voice arrives fully formed in this atmospheric portrait of an orthodox Jewish woman who embarks on a mysterious pilgrimage. It was shot with little money – and no crew – on location in Israel and North Africa. An early collaboration between Menkes and sister Tinka, the film blends vivid 16mm with eerie sound design (whistling wind, disembodied breathing) to create a mesmeric exploration of isolation and exile.

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